One of the greatest lessons I've learned in the last year is the power of gratitude. It's not that I'm an ungrateful person. Even in the wake of the challenges I've faced with a mentally ill mother and confused father, I always managed to focus on the gifts around me like an open family (I love them!), supportive friends, and God-directed opportunities.
What's struck me lately is how easy it is to lose sight of joy in life. Ecclesiastes (one of my favorite books of the Bible) says "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This, too, I see is from the hand of God." This is an amazing idea--that God has given us the gift of ENJOYING our lives. I've had the first part down. I work hard. I eat. I drink. I even find some satisfaction is what I do. However, I never really grasped the concept that God wants me to enjoy my life.
The more I consider this, the more I see that God places in my path moments to celebrate and treasure. Some are brief, like the glimpse of a stunning sunrise during a debate with some co-workers. Some are poignant, like when a difficult student gives me a drawing. Still some are precious, like my husband turning on the Christmas lights adorning our porch (just for me, he said). Others are just fun, like laughing at foreign comedies with a dear friend.
I wonder how many moments I've missed being caught up in a desire to succeed and surpass the expecations I set up for myself. Gratitude has become essential to my life...more so than ever before. When I stop--however briefly--to acknowledge and accept these gifts, I appreciate so much more the gift of life that's been bestowed upon me.
The world is a vibrant place, but too many of us waste away time looking through a black and white lense. I know I did. I've changed jobs, moved to new cities, colored my hair, and all other ways to "cope". It's just geography. In "Lucia, Lucia" one of the characters says that we don't need to change our location to change our lives; we need to change our perspective. That perspective, for me, is to be grateful for jasmine-scented breezes on my back porch, spontaneous kisses and props from my husband after an impressive pool shot, wagging tails after a long day at work, and lots of laughter and story-telling with those I love.
What's struck me lately is how easy it is to lose sight of joy in life. Ecclesiastes (one of my favorite books of the Bible) says "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This, too, I see is from the hand of God." This is an amazing idea--that God has given us the gift of ENJOYING our lives. I've had the first part down. I work hard. I eat. I drink. I even find some satisfaction is what I do. However, I never really grasped the concept that God wants me to enjoy my life.
The more I consider this, the more I see that God places in my path moments to celebrate and treasure. Some are brief, like the glimpse of a stunning sunrise during a debate with some co-workers. Some are poignant, like when a difficult student gives me a drawing. Still some are precious, like my husband turning on the Christmas lights adorning our porch (just for me, he said). Others are just fun, like laughing at foreign comedies with a dear friend.
I wonder how many moments I've missed being caught up in a desire to succeed and surpass the expecations I set up for myself. Gratitude has become essential to my life...more so than ever before. When I stop--however briefly--to acknowledge and accept these gifts, I appreciate so much more the gift of life that's been bestowed upon me.
The world is a vibrant place, but too many of us waste away time looking through a black and white lense. I know I did. I've changed jobs, moved to new cities, colored my hair, and all other ways to "cope". It's just geography. In "Lucia, Lucia" one of the characters says that we don't need to change our location to change our lives; we need to change our perspective. That perspective, for me, is to be grateful for jasmine-scented breezes on my back porch, spontaneous kisses and props from my husband after an impressive pool shot, wagging tails after a long day at work, and lots of laughter and story-telling with those I love.
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<3 Christy